A New Breed of Rebel
by Dragonish-Owl
Summary: Physically, they're only half-human. But inside, they're more human than every person in the Capitol combined. That's something the scientists didn't anticipate. Upon realizing the cruelty of the place in which she was created, one mutant flees to seek understanding. Though when she stumbles across District 13, a change in loyalties renders the rebellion unpredictable.
1. Intro

I didn't understand why I was feeling so strange; the day wasn't anything unusual. I ran through my ever-changing schedule without any incidents, but I couldn't wrench that bizarre feeling I had from my gut. Maybe I was just having post-dramatic stress.

I was shaken from my thoughts by three loud thumps on my door. I crawled out of my makeshift bed and opened the door to see a stoic face.

"Katniss, Coin's calling a meeting," Gale said with a tone that matched his expression.

I nodded and watched him walk away. I was in no mood to meet with any more drama.

I then ambled down the bleached-white hallway, deliberately taking my time. After several minutes I finally reached the meeting room. I saw the usual crew. Gale and Boggs were standing behind Beetee, who was sitting at the table with President Coin.

"I think you should come see this," Gale said.

I walked over to look over Beetee's shoulder. The diagram he was holding contained several pictures that were somewhat indescribable.

"What are these?" I asked.

"Snow's latest idea," Coin replied plainly. "You see, he's shifted his hobby of genetically mutating animals to genetically mutating people."

It took me a moment to process the news. "That's sick," I finally said in disgust.

"Yeah," Gale turned to me, "Like he's never done anything sick before."

"Why is he doing this?" I looked closely at the detailed pictures. There was a man with hooves instead of feet, a pelt on his back, and topped off with horns sprawling from his head. Lined up were several other pictures of variously mutated people. I was appalled.

"My guess is that he wants both the intelligence of a person and the abilities of animals combined to make one deadly weapon," Beetee replied.

"Wait, so he's going to have these _attack_ us or something?" I didn't take my eyes off of the diagrams.

"It's presumable," Coin replied.

I thought for a moment. "How did you get these diagrams?"

"Beetee found them when he hacked into the Capitol's system."

"Look at these," Beetee said almost excitedly, handing me some other pictures. I trailed off into thought as he rattled on about the strange hybrids.


	2. Findings

**Katniss's POV:**

I sit against a tree and begin to twirl a leaf between my fingers. Hunting in the wilds outside of District 13 will never be the same as it was back in 12.

I push the thought of my old home out of my mind and I realize that the sun is hanging low in the sky. My time outside is running out. I grab my bow and trot into a more wooded area. I take a deep breath and slowly pull an arrow from my quiver, noticing a faint rustling in a nearby tree. I steady my bow and hold my breath as I take aim, but the animal darts from the tree like a swift shadow. My arrow whips through the leaves, hitting nothing. I don't think it left; I think it just jumped to another tree… but which one? I find nothing as I strain my eyes, scanning the treetops for the animal. Other than the sound of my own breathing, the place is silent. I guess the animal did leave.

I sigh and lower my weapon. I'm about to retrieve my arrow when I see that it's nearly dark. I look back towards 13's gates in the distance and decide against searching for my lost projectile. The last thing I want is to get locked out when the gates close for the night.

I trudge through the shrubs, making my way back towards the District. I accept the fact that I won't have any game for the day, so I don't bother being quiet. I'm frustrated that I couldn't get a good look at the animal; then at least I would know what to look for next time I go hunting.

For about fifteen minutes I drift in and out of deep thought as I draw nearer to the gates. I finally come into the clearing that surrounds the District. As I approach the gate, I see something reflecting the faint light of the sky. I kneel down in front of it, staring in perplexity. It's obvious that it was deliberately placed here where I would find it- leaning against the gate facing head-up. After a moment, I slowly pick it up and return it to my quiver. I feel a chill run down my spine as I look over my shoulder.

The next morning I wake up, and for a moment I think it was a dream. But it wasn't. Maybe I should've looked for footprints…

During mealtime I tell Gale what had happened.

He looks at me skeptically. "Maybe you left it there before you went out."

"I didn't, Gale! I had six arrows when I left. I lost one- five. Then when I got back it was leaning against the gate- six. Someone was following me."

"Katniss, you're the only one who goes outside."

"Fine, then some_thing _was following me."

"It's probably your medication."

"You're not listening to me!"

"Alright," He puts down his fork. "So you're sure what you shot at wasn't a person?"

"Of course."

"Well… maybe it was a large bird and you really did hit it. And then as it was flying away the arrow fell out and landed against the gate."

"Now that's just ridiculous."

"Well that's my explanation."

We eat in silence for a few minutes until I remember something that irritates me. "There's another meeting today, something about the Capitol, right?"

"Yep," He pushes his plate aside. "Something weird is going on."

"You mean other than the mutated people?"

We stand up and walk over to drop off our plates.

"Well the thing is," he says, "They haven't done anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Beetee thinks that they had something planned, but they have done absolutely nothing."

I think for a moment. "I don't think I'm going to this meeting."

"Why not?"

"I'm not in the mood to discuss something that _isn't_ happening."

He huffs in mild amusement. "Well then I guess I'll see you later."

I kneel in front of the gate, scanning the ground for any footprints that I didn't make. I run my fingers over the soil; it's damp. It must have rained last night- eliminating my chances of finding any decent tracks. I stand up and make my way into the forest. Damp soil isn't going to keep me from searching.

I like walking through wet foliage because it doesn't crunch and make noise as much as it does when it's dry. I wander through the forest, not even sure what I'm looking for. An animal, a person, a ghost… I just want to figure this out. After what seems to be ages, I finally come across some traces. Some large stones seem to have been upturned. I kneel down and examine the evidence. Only a few stones are turned over, not giving me much of a trail to follow.

A deer probably wouldn't have turned them over, and it definitely wasn't what I shot at the other day. The only creatures I can think of that would climb that high into a tree are squirrels or raccoons, but those are much too small by comparison.

For a long while I ponder and debunk almost every possibility that enters my mind. I'm on the verge of frustration when a faint commotion breaks my thoughts. In the distance, I hear harsh rustling of leaves and the echo of a sound unlike anything I've heard. I swiftly snatch my bow and rush towards that area, but am disappointed when I arrive. Whatever was happening has clearly stopped. The place is silent, but some low-hanging branches are still swaying. I stand perfectly still and listen. Then, something on the ground catches my eye.

I'm torn between remaining still and inspecting the object on the ground. If I break my stance, I could ruin my chance of seeing whatever thing I've been searching for. After several moments of stillness, I decide to investigate. I kneel down and pluck the object from the ground, and I find that it's a white scrap of cloth about the size of my hand. I run my fingers over the silk-like material. It's warm. I turn it over and clench my jaw at the sight of something that's all too familiar.

The Capitol's seal.

My eyes dart around the area frantically. I stuff the cloth into my pocket and set an arrow on my bow, ready to pierce skin. I should get out of here. I scan the area one last time and run back towards the district. The others will be quite interested in my find.

**?'s POV:**

_ Has she been looking for me? I'm still not sure what she is, but I think I like her. She's a lot like the White-Coats who I've grown to hate so much, but she's different. Though she did shoot that pointy stick at me… I wonder why she was mad at me. Surely she's not mad anymore, right? Should I reveal myself? No, better stay hidden. Why is she just standing there?_

_A few moments later, she kneels down and picks up the symbol I tore off my clothes. I hate that symbol. It was on everything back at that place. Everything, even the paper. I got so angry that I ripped it off of my shoulder. I must've made enough noise to draw her over here…_

_All of a sudden, she arms herself with her pointy stick again. Maybe I shouldn't have given it back to her…_

_Now why is she running away? And why did she want the symbol?_

_After I'm sure she's gone, I slowly lower myself from the trunk of the tree where I was hiding._

"_What are you?" I ask, knowing I won't receive an answer. I savor my voice. Speaking is a privilege that I apparently don't have. Back at that place, the White-Coats would hurt me every time I spoke… it must be a bad thing. But I like speaking…_

_I stretch the wings that helped me stay so well-hidden, and my real question forms in my mind. "What am I?"_

**Katniss's POV:**

Back in the meeting room, everyone is pelting me with questions.

"What do you mean it's _fresh_?" Beetee asks as he examines the cloth with a powerful magnifying glass.

"It was still warm when I picked it up," I say. "Someone had been wearing it."

"Why didn't you look for who it was?" Gale is slowly pacing behind Beetee.

"It could've been a trap, and I didn't know how many people were there!"

"She's right, Gale." Beetee puts down the cloth. "She needed to get out of there. And this cloth is made of a silk polymer- definitely clothing."

"Well then we need to get some soldiers out there." Gale stops pacing and looks at Coin expectantly.

"Not so fast," she replies. "Katniss is right. There could be a trap waiting for us."

"Then what are we going to do?" I pick up the cloth and begin to fiddle with it.

She thinks for a while. "We're not going to ignore this. We do need some soldiers out there, but we need a plan."

"And we need to act quickly," Gale says.

Everyone's quiet for a few moments.

"Alright," Coin finally says. "You need to stay inside, Katniss. You're too valuable to risk right now."

I'm about to protest, but I see Gale and Beetee nod in agreement. I Sigh. "Fine."

"Alright," Coin claps her hands together. "Here's what we're going to do."


	3. Shackled

**Katniss's POV:**

I continue to ignore the seemingly pointless schedule that's been branded onto my arm. As I sit at the edge of my bed, I can't quell the frustration that's sweltering inside me. I hate that everyone feels the constant need to protect me, as if I'm made of glass. I wish they had focused more on protecting Peeta…

I push all thoughts of him from my mind and shift uncomfortably. There's no way I can relax knowing that Gale and the others could be in real danger. And there's nothing I can do to help. Coin and Plutarch formed a simple plan to investigate the area; they'd send out two hovercrafts in opposite directions on what would appear to be a routine flight test. Then once they're out of sight, they would drop a mass of soldiers from each craft. The soldiers would then spread out and close around the area followed by the hovercrafts- giving intruders no chance of being undetected.

Supposedly the Capitol could have set an ambush for me, at least according to Plutarch. I think they're being paranoid. If it was an ambush then they would've gotten me as soon as I entered the forest.

I lie down with a sigh. Even if I tried to get out there to help, there's no way I'd get passed security.

Despite my irritation, I eventually drift off into sleep.

**?'s POV:**

_They're saying something, but I can't make out what it is. As I dare to peek out from behind the tree, something is thrown at me. The projected object is lodged between two branches in front of me as it begins to secrete a pungent gas that burns my eyes._

_I manage to open my eyes, and through my tears I'm able to analyze a take-off path through the trees. It's risky, but I have no choice. I release the branch from my grasp and let myself fall. As I dive, my wings spread just in time to miss the ground. I dart directly over the creatures, receiving an agonizing blow to my side. I set off through a break in the canopy, beating my wings as fast as my muscles will let me. I'm about to reach open air when something suddenly wraps around my tail, completely throwing me off balance. I tear through the trees and plummet to the ground, skidding and tumbling until I finally come to a stop in a patch of dirt._

_With no time to assess my injuries, I roll over and look at my tail. A rope of some sort has wrapped around the end- the part I need to steer. Before I'm able to free my tail, the other creatures are upon me. They entangle me in some sort of web as one of them stabs something into my neck. I utter a whimper as my vision begins to lag. Sounds begin to echo in my head. Then everything goes black._

**Katniss's POV:**

I'm lost. Each time I think I've reached the end of it, the hallway stretches further. It leads to a blank void that simply beckons me…

"_Katniss, Coin's calling a meeting," _Gale's voice continuously repeats in the distance.

Finally, the hallway stops expanding. I come to a mirror, in which I see a face that isn't mine. My eyes aren't grey anymore, but luminous yellow.

"_What am I?"_ my foreign reflection asks me.

The banging on my door tears me from the bizarre dream. Irritated, I get up to open it. Before I have time to even open my mouth, Gale grabs my arm and yanks me into the hallway.

"You're gonna want to see this," he says in an urgent tone.

"What happened?" I ask. "Was there anyone out there?"

"Oh yes," He says leisurely, leading me down various corridors.

He remains quiet, guiding me down a series of elevators and barren hallways.

This particular elevator is taking an eternity to reach its destination; I'm almost convinced we've hit the center of the earth.

"Wait till you see this," he says somewhat eagerly.

The elevator doors slide open, and we enter a part of the district that I've never been in before. We head down one last hallway until we stop at a door.

"What's going on?" I ask.

He doesn't answer. He opens the door and nudges me into a large room with cement walls. Across the room stands the usual group. Beetee, Coin, Plutarch, and a couple of guards are standing in front of a chain-link fence that's cornering off a section of the room. They notice the two of us approaching and move out of the way. I'm then able to see the cell's occupant. On the ground, bound in chains, is truly the most bizarre creature I've ever imagined.

The creature has the upper-body of a person… a young woman. Her legs are inhuman, shaped like the hind legs of an animal. There's a long, muscular tail winding out from behind her, but what really catches my eye is the pair of enormous wings on her back. They're webbed, like those of a bat. Her skin-tone is olive across the human portions of her body. The skin of her nonhuman extremities, however, is jet-black with a glossy iridescence to it. It's almost beautiful...

"A… mutation?" I ask, not able to find many words.

"Yes," Gale answers.

"It tried to get away," Coin says. "It couldn't."

She has a sly bitterness in her tone that makes me uncomfortable.

"What was she doing out here?" I ask.

"We don't know," she answers. "It woke up only a few hours ago."

"She hasn't moved," Beetee says quietly. "She hasn't even opened her eyes much."

I slowly walk over to the enclosure and lean my hands on the railing. She's lying on her side, hog-tied in chains with her long black hair hiding much of her face.

"What are you?" I whisper.

She unexpectedly opens her eyes, which are unnaturally yellow… luminous yellow.

The two of us lock eyes, undoubtedly astonished by each other. She lifts her head for a better look, not breaking the deep eye contact.

"That's the most we've seen her do," Beetee approaches us.

Upon Beetee's presence, the mutant lowers her head and closes her eyes again. I'm somewhat disappointed that the connection was broken, but is then that I notice the white jumpsuit that she's wearing as clothing. Printed on the side of the suit is the number _J-3_, and the cloth on her shoulder has a distinct hole in it- a hole about the size of my hand.

"So," Gale says abruptly, "What are we going to with it?"

Plutarch stares blankly at the creature. "Study it. Maybe get information from it."

"We don't know how many of these the Capitol has, or what they plan to do with them," Coin adds. "This thing is dangerous."

I look back at her, not fully believing her judgment.

"It's getting late." Plutarch turns away from the mutant and walks over to a table with some papers on it. "You should probably go back to your rooms," He looks at me and Gale.

"Come on, Katniss." Gale motions for me go with him.

I follow him to the door. As I turn back, I see the mutant girl closely watching me as I leave.

* * *

I sit alone in the cafeteria, poking at my "breakfast" without any interest. Frowning at the new schedule on my arm, I set my fork down and rest my chin on my hand thoughtfully.

I really hate following my schedules, but I've been ignoring them almost every other day without being questioned, so I'm pretty sure today won't be any different. I drop off my plate and head down the hallway, drawn by my extreme curiosity.

I try to remember the hallways that Gale led me through yesterday. After getting lost several times, I finally find my way to the final elevator. As it descends, I can't stop thinking about what different creatures the Capitol must have made. What do they have the capability of making?

The elevator doors open, and I can see that the door to the room down the hall is wide open. I slowly approach it.

Something's not right.

As I peer into the room, I see Coin and a few doctors behind a control panel with wires leading to the mutant's cell. My eyes widen once I realize what is happening.

The mutant is no longer on the ground. Instead, she is suspended in the air by shackles around her wrists. I can hear only two noises: an audible buzzing drone, and the painful cries of the mutant.

They're electrocuting her.

I sneak into the room and hide behind several wooden crates. I then hear Coin tell the doctors to increase the voltage. The buzzing shifts to a higher frequency, along with the mutant's screams. I do not like what is happening.

For a while, I cringe as I hear the mutant shift from crying to screaming and vise-versa. I notice Coin telling the doctors something inaudible, then the four of them stand up to leave. One doctor sneers at the mutant cruelly and deliberately leaves the electricity running.

He then follows the others as they exit the room.

I come out from behind the crates as the mutation struggles and squeals helplessly. Before I can think, I rush over to the control panel and look over the buttons. I take hold of the lever that I saw the doctor using, and bring it all the way down. The electric current is immediately diminished and she falls limp against her bonds.

Despite her trembling body, she lifts her head and stares at me gratefully.

"I'm sure she appreciates it."

I spin around to see Beetee standing in the doorway.

"I was just…" I stutter.

"Don't worry," He walks over to me. "If anyone asks, I let you in."

I nod and turn my eyes back to the creature. "Why were they doing that?"

"They wanted to test her 'pain tolerance.'" There's a hint of agitation in his voice.

I purse my lips. _Sadists,_ I think angrily. "What have they learned about her?"

"One hundred pounds," He says, "Extendable talons on her feet, no known speaking ability."

"Can you get her down?" I feel sorry for her, seeing her dangling there vulnerably.

He nods and hits a few buttons that release her shackles. She falls to the ground in a trembling heap and curls into a ball.

We stand there staring at her. I can only pity her; this was the Capitol. She had no choice other than to be turned into… this.

_What are you?_ I repeat in my head.

It's then that I make the connection. Why didn't I realize this earlier?

"Are you ok?" Beetee asks.

My thoughts must be showing. "I'm fine."

He looks at me strangely.

"Really," I say, turning my attention back to the mutant to avoid eye contact.

I'd sound insane if I said that I saw this creature in a dream.


	4. Realization

**3****rd**** Person POV:**

"Don't speak. Don't you _ever_ speak to a human, how many times have I told you?" The genetic engineer rears his hand and brings a whip down on the wing of his own creation.

The humanoid at his feet cowers, fearing another blow.

"Now," the head-engineer scowls threateningly. "You know how she escaped and where she went. Am I wrong?"

The mutant shakes his head in fear.

His master circles him slowly. "You _will_ find her. And you _will_ bring her back. Alive or dead. If you don't, I will find, hurt, and keep you within an inch of your life. Do you understand me, J-9?"

J-9 nods eagerly, knowing that any other reaction would earn him another whiplash.

"Good. Now go." The engineer throws open the gate and watches as his creation takes off, his wings carrying him at the speed of fright.

**Katniss's POV:**

Three days have passed since they found her. The fact that there are hardly any security guards this deep into the District is an advantage to me right now. I'm not supposed to be here; it's the middle of the night. I was roused by another bizarre nightmare, but I can't remember exactly what happened. All I know is that I need make sure everything is alright. I had to take an entirely different route in order to avoid being seen, because telling someone 'I was getting a drink of water' wouldn't exactly work eighty floors away from my apartment.

Finally, again, I find the door I've been waiting to see. It's strangely eerie with the hallway lights dimmed, but I can still make out the numbers on the lock panel. When Gale had locked the door after we left a few days ago, I had secretly taken a mental note on the numbers he had entered into the device. I dial the combination I remember.

9-7-1-5.

Access Denied.

7-1-9-5  
Access Denied.

5-9-1-7

Access Granted.

I slowly open the door, surprised that it actually worked. It's darker in here, but my eyes quickly adjust. The control panel's switches are giving off a faint glow that seems to be the only source of light in the room. I gently close the door behind me and approach the cell, being careful not to bump into the wooden crates on either side of the room.

The mutant girl is sound asleep, curled up in the corner with her head and shoulders supported by the wall. She seems fine. I sit down against the wall and gaze at her. She actually looks somewhat serene, not scared or stressed. Her eyes are shifting, which I believe means she's dreaming. She stirs and adjusts her position, then relaxes again.

This is insane. I understand why the Capitol genetically engineers animals, but why people? I guess it does make sense to have a powerful creature who can think logically. On the other hand, that could possibly be a disadvantage.

The girl must sense my presence because she suddenly opens her eyes, which cast a visible yellow glow across her face. She stares at me, seemingly confused.

"It's alright," I whisper. "I was just checking on you."

She continues to stare, as if expecting me to say something else.

"You came from the Capitol, right?"

She nods.

"Can't you speak?"

She shakes her head and almost looks frightened.

That's strange. "Did they send you here?"

She shakes her head.

"You came on your own?" My confusion shows in my voice.

She nods again, looking away awkwardly.

I pull myself to my knees and point at the hole in the cloth on her shoulder. "Did you do that?"

Again, she slowly nods.

Then it hits me. The Capitol is twisted, and she was forced to be what they wanted her to be- probably a slave to them.

"You… don't like the Capitol, do you?"

She quickly turns to me and shakes her head readily. She seems surprised that someone understands.

"We don't either," I reply with a new smile.

I must have fallen asleep because I am abruptly awakened by someone shaking my shoulder.

"Katniss, what are you doing here?"

I blink until my vision is clear and I see Beetee standing over me.

"I… came to check on her. I fell asleep." I stand up and rub my face.

He stares at me intently. "You really care about her. Why?"

I glance over my shoulder and see her standing right next to us inside her cell. She's taller than me when standing upright. Why _do_ I care about her so much? "I guess… she seems like a victim. Like we all were back in the games."

He nods silently, not questioning my logic.

For a few moments we stand in awkward silence.

"There's something you should know," I say quietly.

"What's that?"

I look at the girl, then back to Beetee. "She's a rogue."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you see," I point at her shoulder. "_She_ tore off the Capitol's seal. She came here all by herself. She… ran away." I turn to her. "Isn't that right?"

She looks at her feet and nods.

His eyebrows meet and he adjusts his glasses. "So you're saying she can think freely."

"That's exactly what I'm saying." I pull him aside so she won't hear us. "Beetee, I think I can get her to join us."

"Join us," He seems interested. "You mean be a part of the rebel army?"

"Why not? She obviously has superior physical abilities."

He gives a small sigh and his demeanor seems to shift. "How do you know we can trust her?"

I'm not sure if there's a tangible reason why we should trust her, but I can sense that she's telling the truth. "There's something about her that's different from any mutant I've seen."

He looks at me expectantly.

"She can feel. Pain, confusion… fear. She's half-human, Beetee."

"_Only_ half."

"Hey," I raise my voice slightly. "That's more human than the Capitol."

He looks down and turns around slowly. "I will not argue with that," he says in a low tone. "Alright, you've got me. But how will you convince Coin and Plutarch?"

I follow him back to the cell. "Will you help me?"

He sighs. "I don't know."

"I might," A voice echoes from behind us.

We spin around to see Gale slowly approaching us.

"How much of that did you hear?" I ask immediately.

"Enough. I heard enough."

I nod and look down uneasily. "What do you mean 'you might'?"

"I might help you convince Coin and Plutarch." He crosses his arms skeptically. "If Katniss is right."

Beetee and I exchange glances.

He comes face-to-face with the girl. "So let's see if Katniss is right."

Without warning, he lunges at me. He grabs me and pins me against the bars of the cell, his hand gently grasping my throat. He rears his fist, as if about to hit me.

Before he can make another move, the mutant girl kicks him from behind the bars of the cell. She must have inhuman strength because he flies back about four yards.

He picks himself up, staring at her in disbelief. "I guess Katniss is right."

Beetee helps him up. "I see what you did there."

I knew what he was doing the whole time, but the girl apparently did not. I turn around to see her cowering against the wall. She must think she's in trouble now.

"It's ok," I call to her. "You just protected me…"

"Oh she protected you all right," Gale rubs his shoulder and tries to shake off the soreness from the impact. "Tell me you saw that. Because I'm _not_ doing it again."

He didn't say that to me and Beetee. Standing in the doorway are Coin and Plutarech.

"How long have you been there?" This time it's Beetee who's astonished.

"The whole time," Plutarch slowly enters the room and walks over to us. "So let's talk about this new rebel."


	5. Grounded

**Katniss's POV:**

After a thorough discussion with Plutarch, I managed to persuade him into letting the mutant out of the cage in which she was being kept. It took a couple days to arrange, but she's now in a more comfortable room. There's a bed and a large window that leads to our "observation room." Upon Plutarch's request, Beetee crafted a new suit for her that matches the plain grey clothing worn by citizens of District 13. Despite three extra holes fit for her wings and tail, it might as well be anyone else's outfit.

"It might not be perfect, but at least she doesn't look like an enemy anymore," Beetee comments as we watch her from behind the window.

She didn't want to go near it at first, but I eventually coaxed her to put it on. Despite Beetee's gentle demeanor, I seem to be the only one she cooperates with.

"Now what are we going to do?" I ask Plutarch, who's sitting at a table by the door.

He looks up from the papers he's flipping through. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what are we going to do with Nightlock?"

Everyone faces me.

"Nightlock?" Plutarch asks.

I look away awkwardly. "That's what I decided to call her."

"Now she's named it," Coin utters bitterly.

For a while the sound of shuffling papers is the only thing keeping the room from silence.

"I think it's a good name," Beetee finally speaks up.

We glance at each other approvingly as Plutarch pulls a paper from a folder. He looks over it briefly, then hands it to me.

"What's this?" I ask.

"It's everything we know about... 'Nightlock.'"

I read over the simple facts.

•Height: 70''

•Weight: 103 lbs

•Hair: Black

•Eyes: Yellow

•Oddities: Wings, Tail, Legs

•Coloration: Skin-Olive, Oddities-Black

•Pain Tolerance: Significant

"This is hardly anything," I hand the paper back to him.

"I know. But there's a lot left to find out." He stares at me quietly. "That's your job."

"My job?" I'm more confused than opposed.

"You're the only one she'll listen to. So you're the only one who can work with her."

I glance around to see everyone's eyes fixed on me. Then I look at Nightlock who, to my amusement, is bouncing on the bed. I suppose having emotions means having a personality as well.

I'd rater it be me working with her than the doctors, given what they've already done to her. "I'll do it."

"Good," he and Coin head towards the door. "You start today. The guards will bring her to training ground number three. Be there in an hour." With that, he closes the door behind them.

That moved rather quickly. I turn back to Beetee. "Do you know exactly what it is I'm supposed to do?"

He slowly makes his way to the door. "No," he says, "But I'm sure you will."

"What do you mean by that?"

He opens the door and pauses. "Think about it. I think you know what we all want to see," he says as he exits the room.

I think for a while and slowly walk over to the window. Nightlock is now curled up on the bed, napping.

"What we want to see..." I whisper, partly to her and partly to myself. I take a moment to run my hand across the seam of the glass.

"I want to see you fly."

* * *

**?'s POV:**

Sticks and leaves slash at our sides as we sprint through the dark forest. We've been running for hours, and nighttime is beginning to fall across the sky. I look back and see that J-7 is lagging behind us.

"Come on," I call back to him, "We need to find her before J-9 does!"

"What happens if he finds her?" He asks nervously.

"She dies," J-5 answers.

The three of us dart through the wilderness, gaining as much distance between us and the Capitol as we can.

"Are you sure she went this way?" J-5 asks.

"Positive, I remember her saying she wanted to head east."

"B-2!" J-7 calls.

"What?" I answer.

"You dropped a feather!" He holds it in his hand.

"So?" I ask, glancing at my wings.

"So, if you drop enough, they'll be able to track us for sure!"

This concerns me. We turn into an area covered by trees as our sprint comes to a stop.

"She can't help it if she drops feathers," J-5 says quietly. "She's leading us anyway, So we'll catch any feathers that we see fall off her." He and J-5 nod at each other.

"Alright," I say confidently. "We're pretty far away now. I think it's okay for us to fly."

We jog to an open area, spreading our wings. "Let's go, boys," I call.

I beat my wings and climb into the air. When I'm above the canopy, I circle around until J-5 and J-7 are beside me.

I nod to them, and we swiftly set off into the eastern sky.

"Don't worry, J-3," I hear J-5 whisper. "We won't let 'im get ya."

* * *

**Katniss's POV:**

Given my new job, maybe I now have an excuse to skip my schedule. Even when my mom and Prim aren't there, just sitting in my apartment is something I'd rather do than go to my classes.

I fiddle with the bed sheets as I think to myself. I wonder how well Nightlock is able to fly. Her wings are definitely large enough to carry her, given how light she is for her height. I suppose I'll find out today.

The silence of our bedroom is comforting to me. It lets me somewhat relax as I try to sort out my thoughts. I won't be here for long though; soon, a security guard is going to escort me to training ground number three. I'd go by myself, but I've never been to number three before. I never even knew that the district had multiple training grounds- yet another thing nobody told me.

Soon enough, there's a knock at my door. When I answer it, I'm surprised to see Boggs.

"Are you ready?" He asks flatly.

I nod.

He leads me through the district, taking a different series of elevators and corridors. This time, the main elevator takes us down about ninety floors. How deep is this district? He and I are silent as we descent, but eventually the doors slide open, depositing us directly in the training ground.

We step out onto a vast cement floor. The ceiling of this room must be high enough to have its own atmosphere; I wouldn't be surprised if this training ground was as big as the Capitol itself. Turning, around I see the others with several guards and doctors sitting in an area behind a metal rail.

"Good," Plutarch says, "You're here."

"Why is this place so empty?" The sound of my voice echoes heavily off of the barren cement.

"This ground is for emergencies. If the other two are destroyed in an attack, this is what we would use."

I nod and glance around. "So… where's Nightlock?"

"They're bringing her now," He says as he turns back to his own conversation.

For a while I drift into thought and wander aimlessly across the pavement. How were they able to rebuild a district that's so enormous, yet so confined?

The elevator doors open and four guards carrying a large metal crate amble out of it. They bring it over to where I'm standing and set it down, attaching it to several metal latches on the ground. A guard walks over and unlocks the door of the container, causing it to swing open.

Nightlock shyly steps out of the crate. One of her ankles is bound by shackle with a long chain leading to the crate.

I turn back to the others angrily. "How do you expect her to show us what she can do if she's chained to a cage?"

Everyone's quiet and I see the guards exchange awkward glances.

"Well?" I ask.

Plutarch stares at Nightlock. "Unchain her," he tells the guards.

They approach her, and she cowers as they roughly remove the shackle from her ankle.

I nod approvingly and slowly walk over to her. She seems relieved to see me. Until now, there's never been some sort of barrier between us.

"Hey there," I say mildly. "Do you know why we're here?"

She glances over her shoulder uneasily and shakes her head.

"They want you to show us the things you can do."

She responds only with a curious tilt of her head.

Why she isn't able to talk? I look back at the others, who are watching us expectantly. I decide to begin with the obvious question. "Can you fly?" I ask her.

She nods, spreading her wings for me to see.

I smile. "Do you think you could show me?"

She looks around the training ground as if to judge the amount of space there is. She then nods reluctantly.

I step back to give her space and turn to make sure the others are watching. Plutarch nods to us.

Nightlock takes my hint and looks nervously at the guards. With her unnatural, yet elegant legs, she cautiously begins to run across the pavement. Her raptor-like feet are having trouble gripping the smooth surface, but she soon finds her bearings. With her enormous wings spread, she begins to catch air. I hear impressed comments echo from the ones behind me.

Then with a single flap of her wings, she takes off into the air...

...only to let out a painful cry and collapse to the cement.

The fascinated comments become concerned winces as Nightlock lies on the ground, motionless. I run over to her.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I lower myself to one knee.

She rolls over and touches her wing, pain printed on her face.

I turn to see Boggs approaching us.

"How did she get hurt?" I ask Boggs intensely.

He thinks for a second. "When they captured her out in the woods, they knocked her out of the sky. She must've broken her wing when she fell." He gestures to Plutarch then turns back to me. "I don't think anyone knew she was hurt."

I turn back to Nightlock. "Why didn't you let us know you were hurt?"

She shrugs nervously and lays her head on the cement. I take a moment to touch her uninjured wing, which feels like sleek leather.

She opens her eyes and stares at me.

Soon, Gale approaches us with two doctors following him.

"They'll take it from here, Katniss." He reaches out his hand to help me up.

As I stand up, Nightlock makes a fuss.

"She doesn't want you to leave," He says softly.

I glare at the doctors warningly. There's no way she's going to trust them after their little 'pain tolerance' test. I turn to them. "Take her to my mother."

One doctor steps forward. "But Mrs. Everdeen isn't certified as a…"

"I don't care," I cut him off. "Take her to my mother."

They look back at Plutarch, who nods in agreement.

Nightlock seems to relax at my demands, but she still flinches as the doctors assist her back into the crate. They pick it up, gentler than before, and slowly exit the training ground.

Gale and I turn to leave. Just as we're about to open the door, Plutarch calls to me. "I'll tell your mother."

I nod to him and continue on with Gale.

Once the elevator returns, we begin our assent into the main part of the district.

"Katniss," He says quietly.

I look at him.

"This is untimely, but I know how you hate it when nobody tells you things."

"What happened?" I immediately say.

"Nothing," he replies. "…yet."

"What do you mean?"

He pauses for a moment. "They might try to infiltrate the Capitol."

The news doesn't come as much of a surprise to me. "What do they expect to do?"

"Nothing huge," He stares at the wall blankly. "Just send in spies. Maybe try to find someone who could give us information."

"You mean they'll kidnap someone?"

"Probably," he says frankly.

A few minutes later, the elevator doors slide open. We're start to head in separate directions when I turn back to him. "Gale," I call.

He looks back at me.

I smile at him. "Thanks for keeping me in the loop."


End file.
